Germany got 10% of energy from clean sources in 2009: official

This aerial picture shows German's biggest solar installation in Lieberose, eastern Germany in 2009. Germany got more than 10 percent of its energy last year from renewable sources, a "delightful" step towards a 2020 goal of 18 percent, Environment Minister Norbert Roettgen said on Wednesday.

This aerial picture shows German's biggest solar installation in Lieberose, eastern Germany in 2009. Germany got more than 10 percent of its energy last year from renewable sources, a "delightful" step towards a 2020 goal of 18 percent, Environment Minister Norbert Roettgen said on Wednesday.

Germany got more than 10 percent of its energy last year from renewable sources, a "delightful" step towards a 2020 goal of 18 percent, Environment Minister Norbert Roettgen said on Wednesday.

Energy produced by sources including biomass, geo-thermal, hydro-electric, solar and wind accounted for 10.1 percent of the total consumed by Europe's biggest economy, up from 9.3 percent in 2008.

Biomass sources were the single biggest supplier.

"We have made delightful progress," Roettgen said before proclaiming that "Germany remains a leader in the field of renewable energies."

"We believe that Germany will reach the European target of 18 percent by 2020," he added.

The government has set itself an ambitious target of obtaining half of its energy needs from such sources by 2050.